Both a Richard and Judy Book Club and Oprah book club pick, American Dirt is the third novel by Jeanine Cummins.
Released in 2020, it was an instant bestseller, selling over 2 million copies worldwide.
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Plot
American Dirt is the story of Lydia Quixano Perez, an Acapulco bookshop owner, who is forced to flee her home with her son after her family is murdered by a drug cartel.
They manage to escape the crime scene but are still pursued. Lydia and Luca have no option but to leave their home behind to seek a new life in America as undocumented citizens.
What follows is a harrowing journey of migrants, running for their lives, not to find a better life with more opportunity, but as an attempt to save their lives.
American Dirt Book Review
This is a story that grabs you from the very first page. I can honestly say it’s the best opening to a book I’ve read in a long time. It’s a fast-paced, suspenseful tale of fear, grief and the power of a mother’s love.
The media and some politicians would have you believe that migrants are opportunists looking to take and give nothing back. This is a sensitive portrayal of the trauma so many have experienced and how they are really left with no other option.
So many are forced to rely on the compassion and kindness of strangers when their trust has already been shattered. As with The Beekeeper of Aleppo it shows a realistic view of the harrowing journey these migrants must take.
The grief and fear leapt off the page and as a mum I can only imagine the horror of having to place your child in harm’s way to gain a chance of survival. I found myself literally holding my breath as I turned the pages, just hoping for a happier ending for Lydia and Luca and the friends they made.
The supporting characters were well developed and created with such depth. I cared for them as much as the main characters.
The descriptions were so vivid that I could clearly imagine the horror of having to jump aboard a moving train to ensure a chance at survival.
Overall, I found American Dirt to be a fast-paced, gripping novel about a very timely issue. It had me hooked from start to finish and I would definitely recommend it.
American Dirt Controversy
I bought myself a copy before I read about the controversy surrounding the book. Cummins was criticised both in the literary world and the press at large. Some believe a Caucasian such as Cummins should not be writing about a Hispanic woman.
I wasn’t sure what to make of the criticisms. However, after reading this article, I decided to read the book with an open mind. After all, despite the emotive subject, it is a work of fiction and doesn’t claim to be autobiographical.
Has Jeanine Cummins written any other novels?
Jeanine Cummins is also author of The Outside Boy and The Crooked Branch.
What should I read after American Dirt?
For an alternative story about immigration, I would suggest reading The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri. If you’re looking for books to match the heart stopping action in American Dirt, I would recommend Hostage by Clare Mackintosh or Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton.